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How many wins for Saints this season? The crystal ball says ...

Like Sisyphus, the Saints have pushed a boulder of unrealized expectations up the NFL mountain for most of the past three seasons.
They’ve opened each season with high hopes and great expectations, only to see them crushed in an avalanche of early September losses.
The Saints have gone a combined 1-9 in the past three Septembers and failed to recover each time. As a result, the club and its loyal legion of fans have not enjoyed a single day above .500 in nearly four years. The last time the Saints had a winning record was Week 17 of the 2013 season.
If ever a team needed a quick start – for confidence, momentum and sheer sanity -- it’s the 2017 Saints. They desperately need to experience some early success.
Alas, the gridiron gods seem to be conspiring against the Saints. The league schedule-maker front-loaded their slate with four playoff teams and three former MVP quarterbacks – Tom Brady, Cam Newton and Aaron Rodgers – in their first six games, while logging about 14,000 air miles during the opening seven-week gauntlet.

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What’s more, they must do it without left tackle Terron Armstead, defensive tackle Nick Fairley and, for awhile, cornerback Delvin Breaux.
I can’t recall a more difficult opening stretch in my 18 years covering the Saints.
If the Saints are 3-3 or better after their first six games then should consider it an accomplishment -- and a major reason for optimism. The schedule eases considerably after Week 7.
Frankly, the Saints seem due a little good fortune. What with the injuries and mind-numbing close losses, they haven’t had much to celebrate of late. They were 2-4 in games decided by 3 or fewer points last season, the third worst mark in close games of any team in the league. If they can survive the early gauntlet and somehow invert their win-loss record in the nail-biters then I could see them contending for a wild-card berth in the NFC South. But their margin for error is miniscule. And it’ll be even smaller if they stumble out of the gate again.
But something tells me this year will be different.
Many Saints, including Brees, have drawn comparisons to the 2009 season. But this team seems closer in mentality and talent to the 2006 club. The 2017 Saints will not be the most talented team in the NFL of even in the Payton-Brees era. But they are a smart, tough and motivated bunch. And they are playing with a noted sense of urgency. I like their chances at being one of the surprise teams in the NFC.

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